this is Really good!

cauliflower crust pizza

ingredients:

1 large head of cauliflower - florets only

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 tsp. dried basil 

1/2 tsp. dried oregano 

(or use the Italian Seasoning spice blend instead of basil and oregano)  

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. onion powder

crushed red pepper (to taste)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
(take the time to grate or shred your cheese from a block.  the pre-shredded versions have chemicals in them to keep the cheese from sticking together.)

1 large egg

instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Wash and pat dry cauliflower. 

Cut off the florets.

Pulse in your food processor or blender until you have small "rice size" pieces of cauliflower.

Microwave in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for 5 minutes.  Get it nice and soft to eliminate that raw cauliflower taste. 

Pour cooked cauliflower into a large piece of cheese cloth that is inside a strainer in the sink.

When cauliflower is cool enough to handle, wrap it up in the cheese cloth and twist to remove water.  

Eliminate as much water as possible. (when you think you're done, squeeze it some more!!)  Get it really nice and dry!  The drier, the better! 

Empty the cauliflower into a large bowl. 

Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl of cauliflower and blend thoroughly!  (if the mixture is really dry and crumbly and won't stay together at all when you squeeze it in your hand, add an additional egg to help bind the ingredients together.)  

Form the cauliflower mixture into desired shape on a parchment paper covered baking sheet.  Keep it thin and compact it the best you can.  The thinner you can make it, the more crispy the crust will be.  

1st Bake--put into the preheated oven and bake approximately 15-20 minutes until the crust starts to turn golden brown.

When crust is browned, remove from oven and add your favorite sauce and toppings.

2nd Bake--return to oven and bake until cheese is melted and crust is very nicely browned. About 7-10 minutes.

Let it cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

If you cooked the cauliflower well to remove the "raw" flavor, even if you're not a huge fan of cauliflower, you will love this pizza!  

another must have CHOCOLATE recipe!

With the Holiday Season right around the corner, this cookie recipe (taken from Hershey's Website) is a MUST have!  They are DELICIOUS!  

Stay closer to the 8 minute bake time--the cookies are more like fudge this way!  The recipe calls for Reese's peanut butter--I couldn't find it in the grocery stores, so I just used what I had! 

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• CHOCOLATE FOR DIPPING (recipe follows)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped peanuts (optional)
• 1-3/4 cups REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter

DIRECTIONS

1. 1
   Heat oven to 350°F.
   
   
2. 2
   Combine flour, sugar, butter, cocoa, baking soda, eggs, milk and vanilla in large mixing bowl; beat until well blended. Refrigerate until firm enough to handle, about 2 hours. Roll chilled batter into 1-inch balls; place on ungreased cookie sheet. 
   
   
3. 3
   Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until almost set. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. 
   
   
4. 4
   Line tray or cookie sheet with wax paper. Prepare CHOCOLATE FOR DIPPING. Dip half of cookies into prepared coating, covering one-half of each cookie. Place on prepared tray. Sprinkle peanuts over top of cookies, if desired; let stand until chocolate is set. 
   
   
5. 5
   Spread about 1 tablespoon peanut butter on flat side of remaining cookies; top with dipped cookies, pressing down gently. Tightly cover; store at room temperature. Makes about 25 sandwich cookies. 
   
   
   CHOCOLATE FOR DIPPING: Place 1 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and 1 teaspoon shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil) in small bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating until chips are melted when stirred.

still buying bread at the grocery store??

These are the ingredients in Sara Lee 100% Whole Wheat Bread (Yeah, and you thought it was healthy!!).  Kind of funny that I couldn't get this information from their web site--they don't list the ingredients there!

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Flour, Water, Wheat Gluten, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Yeast, Honey, Contains 2% or Less of Each of the Following: Calcium Sulfate, Sugar, Butter (Cream, Salt), Vegetable Oil (Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oils), Salt, Dough Conditioners (May Contain One or More of the Following: Mono - and Diglycerides, Ethoxylated Mono - and Diglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Calcium Peroxide, Datem, Ascorbic Acid, Azodicarbonamide, Enzymes), Calcium Propionate (Preservative), Distilled Vinegar, Guar Gum, Yeast Nutrients (Monocalcium Phosphate, Calcium Sulfate, Ammonium Sulfate), Corn Starch, Soy Lecithin, Soy Flour.

look at all of those chemicals!!!

here's some info on just one of them...

Azodicarbonamide "its primary use is in plastic and rubber products like yoga mats and flip flops, where it’s used to make them softer and more stretchy."  per Forbes.com

Maybe eating those chemical ingredients once in a while isn't bad for us (but, who knows!!).  What if you have a sandwich on this bread (or pack your kids one for lunch!!) EVERY DAY??   

You might want to stop buying grocery store bread! Start making it at home!

Try this super simple bread recipe!  

ingredients:

2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons very warm water 
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I've even used whole wheat flour!)

instructions:

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add oil and sugar.  Let stand for 5 minutes until yeast is bubbly. 

Add the egg, salt and enough flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes.

Don't let it rise. 

WHAT ARE YOU USING THIS DOUGH FOR?  Divide into 8 pieces (for hamburger buns/sandwich rolls)  16 pieces for dinner rolls (or kid friendly sandwich rolls!).  Form each piece into a ball.

Place 2--3" apart on greased baking sheets.

Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. 

Bake at 425° for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

These freeze well!  I wrap my baked bread/rolls in foil and then put them inside zip lock freezer bags.  When thawing, I just pull what I need out of the freezer (leave it wrapped and bagged) at room temperature for a few hours until thawed.